Level with magnetic securing means



Dec. 26, 1950 R. R. FLUKE LEVEL WITH MAGNETIC SECURING MEANS 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 5l, 1947 INVENTOR. RoTnwELL R. FLUKE.

Dec. 26, 1950 R. R. FLUKE LEVEL WITH MAGNETIC SECURING MEANS 2Sheets-Sheet 2 l gg / IIIIIIIIHI:

VIII/A o "nu" si Filed May 5l, 1947 Patented Dec. 26, 1950 LEVEL WITHMAGNETIC SECURING MEANS Rothwell R, Fluke, Cleveland, `Ohio, assignor toThe Buckeye Elastic Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a. corporation of OhioApplication May`31, 1947,-Serial No. 751,553

-1 Claim..

.This invention relates `toa level adapted `for use by carpenters,plumbers, pipe itters and `other mechanics .for use in ,positioningpipes and various 4structural elements.

One object of the invention is to provide `an improved level havingmeans, disposed internally thereof for xedly, removably mounting thelevel @Il `the `member which is to be positioned, while the latter isbeing adiusted or moved into its `predetermined final position.

Another object of the invention is to `provide an improved levelprovided `with means for automatically, removably .securing the level onthe member, which is to be positioned while the latter: is `beingadjusted or moved into its predetermined final position, whereby theoperation of positioning the member is facilitated as to `labor andtime.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved level having alevel indicator and magnetic securing means common to both its surfaceengaging side edges and adapted to be used in positioning horizontallyand vertically disposed members or devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved level havingdetachable end sections, whereby the length of the level may be changedto adapt it to `various operating conditions.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in theart to which the invention relates from the following description takenin connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is afragmentary elevational view showing one application of a levelembodying my invention.

Fig. la is a plan view.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation.

Fig. 3 is an end elevation.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sections on the lines 4--4 and 5-5, respectively, ofFig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a level showing a modified form ofconstruction; also, showing extension elements thereon.

Fig. 6a is a fragmentary section on the line Gar-6a of Fig. 6, enlarged.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8--8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 8a is a detail perspective view of the magnet as employed in themodification shown in Figs. 6, 6a and 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view. partly in elevation and partly in sectionon the line 9-9 of Fig. 1Q;

Fig. 10 is a section on the line I IJ-IU of Fig. 9.

Figs. l1 and 1'2 are perspective views of parts shown in Figs. 9 and 10.r

Fig, 13 is a, sectional view showing another modification.

In the drawings referring to Figs. l, la, 2, `3, 4 and 5, I indicates asan entirety an elongated member shaped transversely to provide from endto end thereof surface engaging side edges or Walls la. lb. the sideedge I a being grooved transversely to adapt it for engagement with thewall of a pipe A or other curvilinear surface (see Fig'. 1) and the sideedge Ib being at transversely. The member l is formed of non-magnetic,rela tively light material, preferably a material capable of being diecast or molded, the level heretofore made by me being formed of metal ormetal alloy, such as aluminum. Intermediate its ends, the member I isformed with a through transverse `opening 2 to accommodate a leverndicator, indicated as an entirety at 3, and between the opening 2 andeach outer end of the member l, I provide means, indicated as anentirety at 4, which are disposed internally of the member `I and commonto the opposite side edges Ici, Ib. for automatically, removablysecuring the level to the surface of any member having a ferrous basewhich is to be positioned in a predetermined plane, when either wall Iaor Ib is seated on or engaged with the member. The member I at oppositesides of the opening 2 and outwardly of the securing means 4, is iormedwith openings 5 to reduce the Weight of the member I; also, the oppositeside walls of the member I, outwardly of the outer openings 5, is cutaway, as shown at 5a., to reduce the Weight of the member I and provideat each end thereof a bar 6 disposed midway the opposite outer sidefaces of the side Walls la, Ib, for a purpose later set forth, each barE being formed with an opening 6a.

The level indicator 3 consists of an element 3a. fixed to a hub 3'rotatably mounted on a transverse shaft 3b and an annulus 3:1:concentric to the shaft 3b and provided on its opposite faces throughoutits circumference with graduae tions. One end of the element 3aterminates in a pointer 3a movable relative to the graduations on theannulus 3x, the opposite end of the element 3a being enlarged (see Fig.2) to provide a weight which maintains the element 3a perpendicular tothe horizontal in a Well known manner. To mount the parts of the levelindicator 3 in the opening 2, the Walls of the latter are annularlyrecessed at 2a to form seats for magnifying lens 'I and rings 8 inoverlapping erigagement with the lens 1, the rings 8 having 'lugs 8awhich are secured to the member I by screws 8b. One recess 2a is cutaway as shown at 2b to provide a seat for the annulus 3m, a spacer 2cbeing provided between the annulus 3:1: and the adjacent lens 'I tosecure the annulus in its seat. As shown, the opposite ends of the shaft3b are mounted in recesses 'Ia formed in the inner faces of the lens 'Iand the hub 3' has a length equal to the spacing of the lens I to engagetherewith and prevent endwise movement of the hub. The indicatingelement 3a is fixed to the hub 3b intermediate its ends and the cutawayZb extends inwardly far enough to support the annulus 3:1: in the planeof the element 3a. As the recesses 2a are of equal depth, it will beobserved that the element 3a swings in a plane coincident with thelongitudinal axis of the member I and that the annulus 3a: is disposedin this plane. As the pointer 3a is closely related to the innerperiphery of the annulus 3.1:, accurate readings of the indicator 3 fromeither side of the member I may be made whether the line of visionextends at right angles to the indicator 3 or otherwise.

The securing means L3 shown in Figs. la, 2 and 5, outwardly and at eachside of the level indicator 3 consist of a permanent bar magnet 4amounted in an opening Lib extending through the member I in line withthe side edges or walls Ia,A ib, and terminating at their outer endsadjacent the outer ends of the opening lib, preferably substantiallyflush with the side edges or walls Ia, Ib, so as to have contact withthe member to be positioned. Thus it will be noted that when the levelis positioned in engagement with the member to be leveled, in anypredetermined plane, and the member is formed of or provided withmagnetic materiel, the magnets lla, 4a, establish or induce in themember opposed magnetic lines of force, the eiiect of which is tomagnetically relate or secure the magnets and member together, andaccordingly the level is automatically and removably mounted on themember, although actual contact of the magnets with the member to bepositioned is not required. That face or pole of each magnet 4a. relatedto the side edge or wall Ia is grooved in cross section longitudinallyof the wall to correspond to the groove faces of the latter. Each magnet4a is of a size to t the adjacent opening 4b and is secured to the sidewalls thereof by a screw dc extending through alined openings formed inthe side walls and magnet (see Fig. 5) and threaded into an insert lidsuitably mounted in the adjacent side wall.

The magnetic securing means d shown in Figs. 6,A 6a, 'I' and 8,outwardly and at each side of the level indicator 3 consist of a pair ofhorseshoe magnets fisc, 5:12, each mounted in a longitudinally extendingrecess 4d formed in the member I and extending inwardly of the adjacentsurface engaging side edge or wall and shaped to form a seat for themagnet. The poles er of each magnet'ix are disposed in line with theadjacent side edge or wall and preferably terminate substantially flushtherewith, the faces of the magnet poles related to the side edge orwall Ia being transversely grooved (see Figs. 6 and 8a) corresponding toand in alinement with the groove formed in the wall Ia. Each magnet 4xis securedv in its seat tid by a, key element 9 engaging-the inner sidewall of the adjacent magnet and formed with an opening sa and a screw IDcountersunk in the element 9 and extending through the opening Sa and anopening I I formed in the adjacent magnet 4:1: and threaded into aninsert I2 suitably mounted in the wall of the member I (see Fig. 6a).

rI'he level constructed as hereinbefore described is capable of generaluse, but is particularly adapted for use where the member to besupported in a predetermined plane is formed of a material which iscapable of being magnetized or inductively charged with magnetism. Thisuse of the level is shown in Fig. l where it is applied to an iron pipeand supported thereon due to the magnetic attraction between the magnetsand wall of lthe pipe. Thus it will be seen that the level is removablysecured to the pipe and allows the operative to observe the indicatorand substantially simultaneously adjust or move the pipe into iinalposition without again handling the level, rather than repeatedlyapplying and removing the level from the pipe until the desired positionof the latter is attained; hence the operation of positioning pipes,sills and other members in various positions is greatly facilitated andless time is required therefor.

Where the nature of the work requires a relatively long level, I provideextension members I3, I3, which are endwise detachably connected to theouter ends of the member I and by preference each is provided with aspirit level indicator I4. The extension members are similar inconstruction, except that in one extension member I3, the indicator I4is disposed parallel to the surface engaging walls la', Ib', and in theother member the indicator it is disposed at an angle oi degrees tothese walls. Each extension member I3 is shaped to provide surfaceengaging walls ia', ib', adapted to aline with the walls Ia, ib,respectively, and between the walls la', I b', it is formed withopenings I3a to reduce the weight of the extension member. The extensionmembers ES, i3 are adapted to be connected to the bars I5 of the memberI, shown in Figs. la, 2 and 3, but they are shown for convenience inconnected relation to the form of level shown in Figs. 6, 6a, '7 and 8.As shown in these latter gures one end of each member I3 terminates inspaced connecting elements I5 which slidably t the adjacent bar 6 andinner opposed faces oi the walls Ia', Ib', at opposite sides of theadjacent bar S and engage the inner side wall of the adjacent opening 5.The elements I5 are formed with alined openings I 5a in alinement withthe opening 6a in the adjacent bar 6 for a screw Ib to secure the memberI and adjacent member I3 together. As will be observed, the walls of theelements I5, bar 6 and walls I a', Ib', cooperate to support eachextension member i3 endwise of the member I and its surface engagingwalls I a', ib', in the plane of the walls Ia, Ib, respectively. Bypreferencathe walls Ia of the extension members I3 are groovedtransversely corresponding to that of the wall la. Each indicator I4 isseated in a recess formed in the level member I and engaged by a ringIlla, which is secured in position by screws.

Where the level is provided with extensions I3, and employed topositionpipes and'members formed of magnetizable material, the magnetic meansserve to support the level on the-member so thatV the operative maydetremine the adjustment of the member by observing the indicator 3 orone of the indicators I4.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10, ll and 12, Ix indicates an elongated memberconstructed as shown in Figs. l, la, 2 and 3 and mounting a levelindicator 3 similar in construction to the indicator 3. In this form ofconstruction the magnetic securing means consist of the following: I 6indicates a permanent bar magnet mounted in a through opening IBa formedin the member Ix and disposed in line with the surface engaging wallslas', the opposite ends or poles of the magnet IB terminating inwardlyof the ends of the opening 16a. I'I indicates a pair of plates, formedof magnetic material, such as soft iron, mounted in the opening Ilia atopposite sides of and preferably in engagement with the magnet I6, butspaced from each other by the latter; the magnet i6 serving to establishor induce in the plates l1 magnetic lines of force which are effectiveto secure the member la: to the member to be positioned. The oppositeends of the plates I1 terminate substantially flush with the walls lazand preferably one end of one plate and the remote end of the otherplate are provided with inturned extensions Ha to increase thecontacting surface of each plate with the member to be positioned. Theends of the plates I'I related to the groove wall |02 are grooved inline with the groove thereof. A screw Ilb secures the magnet and platesin position.

In Fig. 13, which is a transverse section of a level and illustratesanother modified form of construction, I8 indicates an elongated membersimilar to like parts shown in Figs. 6 and 7, except that the seats orrecesses la formed in the member I8 for the horseshoe magnets I9 aredisposed transversely thereof and support the poles 19a of the magnetsin a plane extending at right angles to the member i8. The magnets I9are preferably mounted in the seats 18a similarly to mountings for themagnets 4x.

To those skilled in the art to which my invention relates, many changesin construction and Widely differing embodiments and applicationsthereof will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention. My disclosures and the description herein arepurely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

What I claim is:

A level provided intermediate its ends With plumb-and-level indicatordevices and comprising an elongated member having longitudinal sidesurfaces each adapted to engage a work surface, one of said surfacesbeing formed from end to end thereof with a groove, said member at eachside of one of the indicator devices being formed with a throughopening, a permanent magnet within each opening intermediate theopposite ends thereof, plates formed of ferrous metal disposed withineach opening and spaced by and engaging with the opposite sides of theadjacent magnet, and means for removably securing each magnet and theadjacent plates in one of said openings, said plates in each openingterminating at their opposite ends substantially flush with said sidesurfaces.

ROTHWELL R. FLUKE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 723,518 Ellison Mar. 24, 1903898,349 Fielding Sept. 8, 1908 986,008 Kennedy Mar. 7, 1911 1,130,610Kane Mar. 2, 1915 1,617,937 Boucher Feb. 15, 1927 2,068,128 Galford Jan.19, 1937 2,133,605 Wikstrom Oct, 18, 1938 2,269,149 Edgar Jan. 6, 19422,292,968 Peters Aug. 11, 1942

